Captain John L. Chapin High School
Chapin High School is a public high school in El Paso, Texas. Chapin is located at the intersection of Dyer Street and Ellerthorpe Avenue on land reserved for the United States Government and is a part of the El Paso Independent School District. It is the only high school in the continental United States that is on government property but not owned by the government. The school enrolls approximately 1,900 students in grades 9 to 12. Nearly half the students are military dependents from the nearby Fort Bliss installation. The school also accepts students from throughout the city of El Paso as part of the school's pre-engineering magnet program..
Catchment area
Much of Fort Bliss is zoned to Chapin, including the western half of the main post, the Logan area around Ellerthorpe Avenue in which the Chapin campus is located and the residential areas around William Beaumont Army Medical Center. The eastern and southern portions of the main post and Biggs Army Air Field are zoned to Austin High. The Chapin attendance zone also includes several inner Central El Paso neighborhoods immediately northeast and southeast of William Beaumont Army Medical Center. These include the Upper Copia neighborhood along Dyer Street from Pierce Avenue north to Hayes Avenue to the southeast of the hospital; adjacent military housing areas between Hayes Avenue and Fred Wilson Boulevard; and the Skyline Acres West, Park Foothills and Mountain Park neighborhoods lying on the eastern slopes of the Franklin Mountains and along the western ends of Hercules, Hondo Pass and Titanic Avenues to the north of the Chapin campus. Chapin's feeder middle schools include Bassett Middle and Canyon Hills Middle. The Fort Bliss residential areas zoned to Chapin for the high-school grades are zoned to Bassett Middle for the middle-school grades. Elementary schools in the Chapin feeder pattern include Bliss, Burnet, Logan, Park, Powell and Travis. Bliss, Logan, and Powell are located on the base and Travis, while located just off post in the Lower Dyer neighborhood, largely serves the residential areas around William Beaumont Army Medical Center.Growth and expansion
With the growth of Fort Bliss and the troop influx Chapin High School has experienced a large increase in student enrollment. Overcrowding and lack of additional classrooms was addressed in the 2007 EPISD Bond Program in which 12 classrooms were approved to be added to the campus to alleviate overcrowding. Chapin currently has 17 portables, numerous "floating" teachers and a need for additional science labs. Once the new addition that was started in February 2010 is complete the issue will be addressed. The new addition is located by the gym entrance and tennis courts and it is expected to be two stories tall with the capability of being expanded onto in later years.History of Capt. John L. Chapin
Chapin High was named after a local World War II hero, Army Captain John L. Chapin. Before enlisting in the National Guard Chapin graduated from Texas A&M University with a degree in chemical engineering. He intended to go to medical school after graduating but postponed his plans so that he could join the National Guard.In November 1940 Chapin's unit was activated as Company E, 141st Infantry, 36th Division of the United States Army. The unit was sent overseas to North Africa. Chapin declined several promotions in order to stay with Company E as the unit consisted mostly of fellow El Pasoans. Most Company E men were Hispanic and non-English speakers. Chapin thought that if he took the promotion Company E would probably be left to a non Spanish speaking commander who would mistreat the soldiers. For this reason his men respected him. Captain Chapin was killed leading the men of Company E into battle across the Rapido River in Italy.
Chapin pre-engineering magnet program
Chapin Magnet offers a specific set of classes that specialize in Engineering. There are five engineering courses offered at Chapin and only those who meet requirements and enroll before high school can attend these classes. This specialized school allows students from all over El Paso to attend Chapin and take these courses hence the term "magnet". Students are required to take Advanced Placement maths and science courses, as well as the five engineering classes. Upon completion of each course students may pay a fee to get credits towards college. At graduation all engineering students who have passed all five classes receive engineering honors and special cords to wear.Academics
Chapin has consistently met and maintained state and national testing standards and is one of the few high schools to not be in the Priority Schools Division of EPISD. Chapin offers multiple Advanced Placement and Dual Credit courses and it is also one of three schools in the EPISD to offer statewide dual credit courses via the Texas Virtual School Network. Beginning with the 2009–2010 school year Chapin began offering AP Art History and Music Theory through the distance learning classroom to other district high schools.Chapin offers AP courses in: English Language and Composition, English Literature and Composition, World History, US History, US Government, Macroeconomics, Psychology, Physics, Biology, Chemistry, Environmental Science, Computer Science, Art History, Studio Art, Music Theory, Statistics, and Calculus.
The following dual credit classes are offered through EPISD's partnership with the El Paso Community College : English IV, Geology, Chemistry, and US History. Students are eligible to participate in the EPCC dual credit program granted they meet all EPCC requirements and pass the subject area ACCUPLACER test for the course they wish to take.
Dual credit US Government and Psychology are offered via the TxVSN.
Chapin Mighty Husky Band
2007 Marching SeasonThe Chapin "Mighty Husky Band" has won the "Overall Concert Band" and the "Best in Show" categories at Music in the Parks competitions in: Los Angeles, San Antonio, and Colorado Springs beginning in 2003. The band is run by Director Mr. Arturo Uribe. The Chapin Mighty Husky Marching Band received the Best Band Award in the 71st Annual First Light Federal Credit Union Thanksgiving Parade in El Paso, Texas, beating out such bands as Socorro, El Paso and Franklin High School. The Mighty Husky Drumline received 2nd place at Thunder Drums and 2nd place at UTEP's Day of Percussion in 2007. The Drumline was directed by Mr. Daniel Hunt. The Chapin High School Colorguard continued its successes in the fall of 2007 with a victory in the Winterguard season. They won numerous 1st and 2nd places capping off the season by winning the West Texas Color Guard Association Scholastic A Championship beating guards from Montwood, Andress and Eastwood.
2008 Marching Season
Chapin High School Mighty Husky Band built upon its successes in 2007 to come back in 2008 with a competitive and crowd-pleasing show entitled "Toying with the Classics" with Band Directors Mr. Uribe and Mr. Lechuga, as well as Percussion Instructor Daniel Reyes, Visual Tech Ziggy Garcia. The Chapin Band received their first 1st Division at the UIL Marching contest of 2008. As well as their other achievements the Mighty Husky Band became the first Chapin High School Band to make the finals and placed 9th at the NMSU TOB Marching Contest. Colorguard Instructors Oscar Martinez and Christopher Dickerson led the Colorguard to victory at the Andress competition garnering an "Outstanding Colorguard"
2011 Marching Season
The Chapin High School Mighty Husky Band had a really strong foundation this year thanks to the Band Director Mr.Uribe and new Band Director Mr. Perez. Having a great marching season as well as an amazing concert seasons with 1's at the UIL Concert Band Competition. The Mighty Husky Drumline placed 1st at the Y.I.S.D Sun City Throwdown defeating 5-A powerhouses such as Americas and Mayfield High Schools.